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Last year, the Pistons were unabashed in their commitment to the principles of Detroit basketball, and that laser-like focus meant that the squad stuck to what they did best. The Pistons achieved 60 regular season victories through pure force and hard-nosed defense that started in the paint, and they reflected that style with an offense that was predicated heavily on paint touches as well.
That formula produced a pair of All-NBA players with Cade Cunningham on the First Team and Jalen Duren on the Third Team, but it also plainly revealed that the Pistons were not comfortable relying on their perimeter shot through 82 games. During that season-long sample size, the Pistons ranked No. 17 in the league from downtown at 35.6% on 30.9 attempts each game, which was second-fewest in the NBA. So, not only did Detroit prioritize shots closer to the bucket, they actively shielded their three-point ability with tactical shot selection.
To counteract that strategic restriction, the Pistons made a clear shift during the offseason to bring in more outside shooters, thereby giving Detroit a more expansive playbook to run. The Pistons added significant perimeter gravity by trading for Isaiah Joe, John Collins and Taurean Prince, three players who all connected on long-range shots at a 40% clip or greater last season.
Out of that bunch, Collins is expected to move into the starting lineup since Tobias Harris signed with the San Antonio Spurs, but Joe will have a legitimate opportunity to challenge Duncan Robinson for the shooter’s role out on the wing. In fact, Joe ranked as the NBA’s most reliable shooter from the corner during the 2025-26 campaign by posting a 53.5% hit-rate from that location, so the former Oklahoma City Thunder guard will immediately check into Motown as another marksman from distance.
Last year, Cunningham drove to the paint numerous times per game, and the All-Star point guard should benefit from having Joe stationed in the corner for catch-and-shoot looks, but three-point specialist also carved out a reputation as one of the NBA’s premier movement shooters of the past decade.
Going up against the league’s top snipers, Joe graded out as the No. 9 movement shooter of the 2020s, which underscores his ability to relocate and remain dialed in the entire time. Out of players in the top 10, Joe has the second-most qualifying attempts behind Stephen Curry, so the Detroit shooter carried a lot of volume without losing an ounce of efficiency.
Last season, Duncan Robinson started every regular season game that he was healthy for, so it would take a strong performance from Joe through training camp and pre-season to immediately assert himself as a starter in the Motor City, so the incumbent is expected to retain his starting role early on. However, Joe has demonstrated the ability to space the floor while knocking down triples with precision, so he could very well challenge Robinson for that position once the regular season builds a bit of rhythm.
For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage, but while you’re here, join Pistons Roundtable for FREE and become a contributing member to our community today. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.
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That formula produced a pair of All-NBA players with Cade Cunningham on the First Team and Jalen Duren on the Third Team, but it also plainly revealed that the Pistons were not comfortable relying on their perimeter shot through 82 games. During that season-long sample size, the Pistons ranked No. 17 in the league from downtown at 35.6% on 30.9 attempts each game, which was second-fewest in the NBA. So, not only did Detroit prioritize shots closer to the bucket, they actively shielded their three-point ability with tactical shot selection.
To counteract that strategic restriction, the Pistons made a clear shift during the offseason to bring in more outside shooters, thereby giving Detroit a more expansive playbook to run. The Pistons added significant perimeter gravity by trading for Isaiah Joe, John Collins and Taurean Prince, three players who all connected on long-range shots at a 40% clip or greater last season.
Out of that bunch, Collins is expected to move into the starting lineup since Tobias Harris signed with the San Antonio Spurs, but Joe will have a legitimate opportunity to challenge Duncan Robinson for the shooter’s role out on the wing. In fact, Joe ranked as the NBA’s most reliable shooter from the corner during the 2025-26 campaign by posting a 53.5% hit-rate from that location, so the former Oklahoma City Thunder guard will immediately check into Motown as another marksman from distance.
Last year, Cunningham drove to the paint numerous times per game, and the All-Star point guard should benefit from having Joe stationed in the corner for catch-and-shoot looks, but three-point specialist also carved out a reputation as one of the NBA’s premier movement shooters of the past decade.
Going up against the league’s top snipers, Joe graded out as the No. 9 movement shooter of the 2020s, which underscores his ability to relocate and remain dialed in the entire time. Out of players in the top 10, Joe has the second-most qualifying attempts behind Stephen Curry, so the Detroit shooter carried a lot of volume without losing an ounce of efficiency.
Last season, Duncan Robinson started every regular season game that he was healthy for, so it would take a strong performance from Joe through training camp and pre-season to immediately assert himself as a starter in the Motor City, so the incumbent is expected to retain his starting role early on. However, Joe has demonstrated the ability to space the floor while knocking down triples with precision, so he could very well challenge Robinson for that position once the regular season builds a bit of rhythm.
For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage, but while you’re here, join Pistons Roundtable for FREE and become a contributing member to our community today. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.
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